This plain language guide is written for people who want to start a small farm business. This guide will help you think about the benefits and challenges of owning a farm before you begin, and will introduce you to services that will help you put your farm dream into action.
In this guide, you will learn about:
Skills you need to start a small farm
Risks & rewards of owning a farm
Resources for investing in your farm
Making a farm business plan
Marketing your products
This guide was written for small farmers in the Northeast United States, but can certainly be used in other regions - just keep in mind that some of the example figures might be different in your area.
This workshop is ideal for farmers looking to grow more under high tunnels (and other covered structures) and receive financial support for infrastructure.
Join your peers who operate land-based farmer training programs to gather new ideas for programming, workshop collective challenges, build relationships, and advance our collective work. Join the field trips to local incubator and apprenticeship projects to see programs' land-based facilities, farm/ranch operations, and to learn together how each incubator farm and apprenticeship training program is unique. Gain new skills, meet new connections and be inspired!
Join the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and the FIELD Network for our Monthly Networking Session! Connect with staff of land-based farm incubator and apprenticeship training programs! Share challenges faced by land-based training programs supporting a diversity of beginning farmers and brainstorm ideas, solutions, and shared resources. Network in breakout groups to mix and mingle with other incubator farm program staff and apprenticeship staff across the country to connect and share project updates!
Join the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and the FIELD Network for our Monthly Networking Session! Connect with staff of land-based farm incubator and apprenticeship training programs! Share challenges faced by land-based training programs supporting a diversity of beginning farmers and brainstorm ideas, solutions, and shared resources. Network in breakout groups to mix and mingle with other incubator farm program staff and apprenticeship staff across the country to connect and share project updates!
To a beginning farmer, the project of establishing a working farm at a new site can feel overwhelming. Depending on what resources already exist at the property, the task of identifying, prioritizing, and paying for needed improvements can be a difficult road to cultivate productive farmland.
This tool is designed to help a farmer who is considering establishing a farm at a new site to examine the scope of improvements the site may require, to prioritize which upgrades should be made, and to identify various organizations and funding sources that might offer advice and/or financing for farm-related improvements. Beginning with a section about selecting a farm enterprise, this resource then addresses Land Access, Utilities and Energy, Structures, and Equipment.
This tool is designed with farmers in Massachusetts specifically in mind, but many of the elements considered are applicable to farmers in other states, as many of the MA-based organizations and resources have parallels in other states as well. Each section below will include 1) Key Considerations and Questions, 2) Resources, and 3) Contacts related to that section, and some sections will also have 4) Financing information as well.
This is not an exhaustive list of key considerations and resources associated with starting or improving a farm on a new site. Hopefully the information provided will prove valuable to farmers as they undertake the important and demanding work of creating the conditions by which a property can generate value for the community and provide a sustainable income for the producer.
Between 2005-2020, 60 farmers participated in the New Entry incubator program. This infographic shares results of a survey of graduates and farmer focus groups to share information about program outcomes, and successes and challenges for beginning farmers as they transitioned off the incubator program.
